Standing By Your Side
by Koolkass
Summary: A medieval AU. Kurt is a prince who seeks peace within the McKinley land together with his father, king Burt. Guarding him in his travels is a squad led by a knight named Blaine, whom Kurt is more than interested in. Inspired by Muchacha10's fanart.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is a medieval AU, as you can read in the summary. You can find the prompt and fanart which served as my inspiration on my profile.**

**Just a small warning: Karofsky is going to be the antagonist in this fic. I have nothing against the character itself, he just fit the role (and every good story needs an antagonist :P). So, if you're a big Karofsky fan and can't stand that, close this tab right now.**

**I want to thank my good friend Ben who beta'd this for me. It would have sounded a lot less medieval-ish if it weren't for him.**

****I hope you will enjoy! Criticism is welcomed.****

****Disclaimer: I do not own Glee.****

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><p><strong>Chapter 1 – Thank you<strong>

"The King is back from the neighboring Kingdom!" announced the castle's herald. Prince Kurt straightened in his throne, the smaller one next to his father's.

As the King of the Hummel Kingdom, his father would travel a lot to neighboring dominions in search of peace. The Hummel Kingdom's main aspiration was to reunite the whole McKinley land which was composed of several kingdoms. In order to transform the desirable vision into reality, the King had formed many treaties throughout the years. His wife, the Queen, had fallen sick and died years prior this particular journey, and he never remarried. Instead, he had his son to support the Kingdom in his absence, and particularly to take care of him.

As the Prince of the HummelKingdom, Kurt wanted nothing more than overall peace, just like his father. He found violence repulsive and unjustified towards the weak villagers who were spread all across the land. With the vision of peace in his mind and the obvious revulsion towards violence he had, he never learnt how to wield a sword. Instead, he studied politics and the history of the entire land. He made sure he would be an expert in the subject until his 18th birthday, the age in which he would turn into a man.

From the moment he reached eighteen years of age, Kurt had been able to leave for quests of his own, negotiating with several of the smaller Kingdom who were fond of the Hummel family, and helping in the cities and villages in their Kingdom's territory when problems rose. He hasn't traveled to a hostile Kingdom yet, though he knew the chance would arise soon.

A moment after the announcement, his father entered the grand hall through the immense entrance, still clad in his metal armor. He smiled at the sight of his son, who also wore a big grin at the sight of his father. He loved his father very much – they completed each other. His father knew how to use a sword, and he had worn far many times his shiny armor in preparation for a battle. Even though blood soiled his hands permanently, the King was a very good man, and nothing could make Kurt hate his own father.

Despite his calm and brave nature, his father wasn't very eloquent for a King. To help him, Kurt would spend days telling him about a certain Kingdom's history and making sure he knew everything he needed to say in order to endeavor creating a peace treaty with them. And when he came back from a long trip, Kurt would sit with him and listen to all his stories, relishing in the fact his knowledge helped the Kingdom advance towards their target.

Together, they were a strong team progressing slowly towards a brighter future.

"How were the peace talks with the Hudson royal family?" Kurt asked, barely able to hide his excitement. His father seemed to be elated, meaning he succeeded, but there was nothing Kurt liked hearing more about than a successful talk. The Hudson was slightly far from them, and it was known they wished for peace as much as the Hummel Kingdom. Besides that fact, the Hudson royal family consisted of a Prince in Kurt's age and a Queen known for her kindness towards the weak.

"We had a friendly talk, and not long afterwards they signed the peace treaty, just like you expected." Burt smiled even brighter when his son clapped in joy. It was clear how proud of himself Kurt was every time an expedition to another kingdom ended well. However, his son suddenly froze while staring at his father. Actually, he was staring directly at his left arm. The bandaged part of his left arm.

"Father, what happened?" he asked with a worried tone as he hurried to the King's side, gently touching the white fabric. His eyes widened in horror when a small, blood-red patch started forming underneath his finger. "You're bleeding!" he pushed his father towards the throne next to where he sat before, making him sit and relax. His father never took care of himself, and his health would have deteriorated years ago if it wasn't for Kurt's stern rules when it came to food and injuries; every decision related to the King's health had been decided by his son.

Burt sighed at his son's actions, immediately followed by an excited smile when he remembered the story behind his wound. "Kurt, I know you don't like stories from the battlefield, but you really need to hear this one!" he ignored his son's disgusted expression and usual eye roll; he expressed himself that way anytime a topic related to violence came up, especially boring fighting stories. He had never liked those. He gestured to one of the guards with his hand, and the guard left the room.

"You see, we were on our way back, and we just left the Hudson territory and entered the Karofsky territory." A chill went down the prince's spine. The Karofsky kingdom has been their biggest challenge yet. The Prince, David, was blood-thirsty and wouldn't accept their peace offering unless there was something in it for him. Furthermore, the territory was known for the high rates of bandits and outlaws roaming around, making the chances of getting in trouble more likely to happen than normal. Only from that sentence he knew it would turn into a story about how his father has shown amazing fighting moves against some thief. "Less than half an hour into their ground and we got attacked by some road thieves, one of the biggest gangs I have ever seen…"

Kurt pretended to listen and nodded his head slightly as his father talked about the fight they had, until something in his father's words caught his attention. "One of them got right behind me and attacked, a slash that would kill me in one instant if it wasn't for this young soldier. He was barely 20 I believe and had the fastest instincts I have ever seen. He was a corporal of the small squad I took with me, since this was ought to be an easy mission, but I was positively surprised by their performance in the battle. Oh look, here he is. I asked for him to be brought here so you could meet him." In the instance his father said that, the enormous doors opened and into the hall walked two soldiers. They stopped in front of the two royalties and bowed their head with respect. The first one was the guard who was sent by the King and the other was a soldier the Prince has never seen before.

The second soldier was still wearing his armor from the journey in which he guarded his father, although his helmet was off to reveal dark, short curls, sharp jaw bones and two beautiful, deep hazel eyes, all on one seemingly perfect face. His body was covered up by the armor, not giving anything away to the Prince's scrutinizing stare, but he could only imagine the toned and muscular body, which only soldiers had, hiding behind the cold metal.

Kurt barely managed to keep down the scarlet blush which made its way towards his face at the sight of the handsome male, remaining tense in his throne and just staring at him. Kurt knew from a few years back that men like himself were rare in the land of McKinley, men who were attracted to other men. Even though his father came to terms with his son's sexual identity, after that realization he had promised to never force him into marrying someone he didn't want, the Prince's preference remained their best kept secret.

He stood up and walked slowly towards the slightly baffled soldier, noting that he was slightly taller than the soldier yet slimmer from obvious reasons. Noticing the approach, the curly haired man kneeled before him, showing the respect the Prince was worthy of. "What's your name?" Kurt asked, moving some of his light brown locks into their respected place; a nervous habit and an act to make him look more representable and, hopefully, better looking in the same time. "Blaine Anderson, your majesty." He answered, not looking at the royalty before him. Fighting the urge to swoon to the velvet sound of the soldier's voice, the brunette continued talking.

"Are you the one who saved my father's life in the battle against thieves?" he asked again, stopping a few steps before the kneeling soldier. He wanted to tell him to stand up so he would be able to look at his beautiful hazel eyes once again, but kneeling was an act all soldiers had to do when facing the King or his son, a sign of deep high esteem. Blaine's voice cut again through Kurt's thoughts as he answered his question. "I managed to deflect the attack, yet not completely and the King still got hurt. I apologize for my uselessness."

Kurt scowled at his words and raised his brow in doubt. "I don't believe that's the important part in your actions," his disapproval of the answer was evident in his voice, which made the curly haired man bow his head lower, "the important part is whether you saved his life or not. If you weren't there, would have my father died or not?" his voice grew louder at the new question. Behind him, his father smiled at his tone. Whenever his son got annoyed, his attitude would change into a more demanding one, which reminded him of whenever his mother, the Queen, would have the same outbursts.

Blaine hesitated for a moment, his mouth opening and closing before he finally said "With all due respect, not to reduce the king's status—"

"Answer, please." The prince insisted.

"Yes, he would have died".

Getting the answer he wanted, the Prince let out a breath as he felt his body unwind for knowing the beautiful man before him was both a hero and a modest person. Moreover, he felt a smile grace his lips as he opened them to say a small yet meaningful "Thank you". The soldier's head snapped upwards, looking with pure shock at the other male. "A lot." He decided to add as his smile grew in reacting to the other's cute shocked expression. They locked eyes, Blaine's breath catching in his throat as he stared into Kurt's piercing glasz eyes, while Kurt almost fell into the two pools of hazel which were Blaine's eyes.

A clearing of a throat was heard and the two snapped out of their trance.

"You sure know how to use a sword," his father stated as he caught the two's attention, returning to the main subject of Blaine's presence. "How about moving to lead a bigger squad? I'm sure you would have no problem with that." He had a smile upon his face, but it was obvious the offer was nothing but serious. Blaine cleared his throat before answering.

"I'm flattered to hear that and as much as I appreciate the offer, my King, I would rather stay with my current squad. We work well together, and over time we became very close. I wouldn't like leaving them." He explained in an even voice, "but thank you very much for the honoring offer."

Burt made a voice of appreciation deep in his throat, clearly impressed by the young man's decision. "You may go now" he dismissed the soldier, who bowed in respect before leaving the room, giving one last fleeting look to the unmoving prince in front of the thrones. Kurt turned around, coming face to face with his father. "He's a good soldier, and a better man." The King stated, and Kurt could only nod, not trusting his voice to remain steady.

As an awkward silence set between the father and son, Burt stood up and started walking away. "I'm not staying for a lot of time" He said shortly, not aware of the pair of footsteps following behind him as he started the way to his quarters. "You're worried about the quantity of law-breakers in the Karofsky kingdom." Kurt stated as he walked a few steps behind.

"It's going to be a difficult journey, but peace talks must be held. Their kingdom is placed in the middle of the land; many people walk through their borders, putting their lives in immediate risk due to the lack of discipline and laws."

They started climbing one of the many cases of stairs one after the other, silence back in place as they both thought about the difficult situation. Suddenly, Kurt grabbed his father's arm and stilled his movements. "The situation is too fragile for making speeches beforehand, improvisation might become handy; let me go instead." Seeing the disapproval in the King's eyes the moment the words left his lips, he started explaining. "I know a lot about the royal family there, almost as much as the family members themselves! You know I can do this, I can make them sign the peace treaty and you know it. I'm sure I can handle the pressure and the danger, and it's for the sake of the land."

The battle of wills going down on that staircase took form as a staring contest, neither willing to accept the other's wishes. The determination in each was of a manifest level, and yielding was not an option for either, until a mouth opened once more.

"I'll take Blaine and his squad with me. You praised him yourself; you know I won't get hurt with him as my guard." They held up their stares for a while longer, until Burt sighed. "You always use my words against me to win arguments," he started, than chuckled at a faraway memory, "just like your mother."

They both smiled a sad smile at the mentioning of the Queen. Kurt didn't have a lot of memories of his mother, just the fleeting random one which caught him every time he went into her former room, where she lied until her death, in search for comfort. Before he knew what was happening, he was pulled into a bear hug and he cuddled into the familiar warmth of his father's embrace.

"Make sure you don't die on me, kid." And with that, the decision was made.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Nothing's mine**

**Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 2 – Journey<strong>

The next day, Kurt woke up early in the morning, the sun barely visible through his large windows. Excitement rushed through his veins as he made his way into his washroom, surprising the maid present in the room with his early arrival. He quickly dismissed her, not having the need of any help with his morning routine since he reached his teenage years. She stood next to a filling tub, probably in the middle of preparing his everyday bath. She stayed for one more moment in the room, checking the temperature to make sure it was just perfect, before leaving in a hurry.

The Prince slowly lowered himself into the warm water, feeling his muscles relax after not moving all night. He stayed rigid for a few minutes, not moving even an inch as he let go of himself and cleared his mind. He always felt the most rested after ignoring all his worries for just a little while, so he made sure to do so at least once a day.

When he felt completely fresh, he turned to the gathering of tubes next to him and started cleaning his body in preparation for the long day before him. Each and every one of the soaps he had was unique, souvenirs his father gathered just for him. Even in the most tiring and long journeys, his father would still find a moment of serenity to buy him something new to his ever growing collection of body wash and hair supplies. For Kurt, to feel like a prince was to look like a prince.

He began lathering his skin with a new kind of body wash he had just gotten, the aroma of which reminded him the scent of a river. Of water lilies, were he to be precise. In the back of his mind, a small voice wondered whether or not Blaine would like the odor, and what would be his favorite one. Kurt quickly shook his head, mentally yelling at the voice. He had met Blaine only once! He couldn't be thinking about him like _that_ already! He ignored the warm sensation of a blush on his cheeks and tried to get the kind corporal out of his mind by lathering his hair.

When he stepped out of the bath and walked towards his wardrobe in search of the perfect ensemble for his task, shining rays of light had crept into his room. Once dressed, he made sure each part of his outfit complimented the rest of it, and that the finishing result suited his body perfectly. No one in the entire land has ever seen him less than perfect, and he wasn't intending to change that.

When he was ready to be seen by the public, Kurt started his way towards the main hall of the castle. There, he would wish his father goodbye and show how intent he was on leaving for the peace conversations with the Karofsky royal family without his father's escort. That day was the earliest available date for the conference, and the prince took advantage of the first opportunity he had. Anxiety filled his veins, almost flooding his body with its intensity. Deep down, in the core of the anxiety, was pride. He was proud of himself for finally setting off to a mission which actually mattered for their future, he had the chance to cause a change.

He didn't pause when he reached the big double doors which led to the main hall. Instead, he pushed them open and walked into the huge hall quickly, taking deep breaths to keep his feelings from showing too much. Even with that, he couldn't stop an excited grin from appearing on his lips. The king was waiting next to his crown, talking to two men beside him. Kurt recognized them as his father's counselors. He hasn't communicated with them personally, seeing as how making decisions for the Hummel kingdom wasn't his duty… yet.

With a sudden hand movement, the King dismissed the two men, probably noticing his son's approaching form. With two bows, one for each member of the royal family, they hurried out of the room. Kurt stopped in front of the other man, putting some distance between them. The both of them took the time to just look at the other and take him in – a gesture which felt oddly remorseful, making Kurt nervousness bloom and overtake him.

All of a sudden, he realized the severity of the situation; the responsibility to return with a peace treaty was entirely on his shoulders, and the realization made it crush his spirit. Seeking for comfort, he broke the tension in the air and rushed towards his father, nestling in the warmth the pair of open arms granted him. "You don't have to go and do this" his father told him quietly, soothingly.

Kurt shook his head, "I need to do this." His voice was slightly muffled against the fabric of the King's shirt, yet still coherent and loud enough to be understood. "Kurt, you don't need to do anything…" the older man started, but was cut off when the other's head rose from his chest to look him in the eyes, glasz eyes boring into green ones. "I want to do this." He corrects himself gently, the honesty is evident in his eyes.

Burt sighed and gave his son a gentle squeeze before letting go of him slightly reluctantly. "Make sure to be safe and come back, you got that?" The brunet mentally cringed at the second wish his father made. _'There's a possibility I won't come back'_ a small voice in his head whispered and it took most of his concentration to ignore it. "Of course I will." And he believed that. He knew he will have protection with him – the fact that Blaine's squad will be accompanying him was the main condition in their agreement – and strangely, he felt entirely safe knowing whom that protection would consist of.

Finally, they broke apart, knowing their time was limited. Even though they were neighboring kingdoms with the Karofsky territory, each castle was built in the center of the turf. Besides, the road was dangerous the later the time was, and Kurt really wished to avoid unnecessary violent encounters. With a final goodbye, he left the main hall and exited the castle, making his way towards the stables.

The stables took up a huge field and were the home to over dozens of horses. They were kept near the castle in order to be used by soldiers in travels and quests, each horse had its own master. Usually, when the King was to travel by horse, several guards would escort him in his way to the stables and would also join the mission. Despite that, Kurt decided he could manage to live past the small stroll to the stables. He didn't like being escorted around by soldiers, clad in their armor with a helmet hiding their faces. The fact he couldn't see any human features except for the shape of their body made him feel alone, as if there was no friendly comfort.

He felt like that a lot, alone. Being the Prince made him isolated from people his age, making his only real social interaction with his father. He had befriended several other princes and princesses his age, though the distance between them made it impossible to meet on a daily basis. Rarely, he would have a fleeting conversation with either a maid or a guard, if it could be called a conversation. It would mostly consist of them being over polite towards him, and it would end the moment he finished talking since they refused to express their own opinion to him.

The villagers and common people believed being a royalty would consist of a life of luxury which would automatically cause happiness. The luxury existed, and Kurt managed to be happy most of the time, but deep down he was aching from solitude. He wanted someone to talk to: someone who would be able to look at the world from a different perspective yet could still understand what Kurt himself saw; someone who could ignore his status and talk to him as an equal, as a friend.

He could already see the form of the stables before him, as well as distinguish the forms of several horses surrounded by an almost identical number of men in shiny, metal armor. He managed to identify his own horse, the one he got as a birthday present when he turned six-teen. His stallion was white, a color very rare for horses, and its mane had a yellow tint to it, making the animal standout in the group of brown and black horses around it. He named him 'Pavarotti'.

The moment he was recognized by the soldiers, they took a formation of half a circle and bowed simultaneously to show him respect. The brunet was in slight awe at their timed and coordinated bow, thinking they had to rehearse the move to make it prefect. The next thing he noticed after their move was the fact none of them had helmets on. He could witness each of their faces: the various skin and hair color which changed from man to man; their expressions of pride, loyalty and more Kurt couldn't manage to notice in the glance he greeted each of them with; the way they all gazed right at him, awaiting his order.

A movement caught his attention and he looked directly before him as the man who stood in the middle of the half circle stepped forward. He knelt before Kurt and looked up at him with the pair of hazel eyes which have barely left his mind since their last meeting. The two held each other's gaze for what seemed like years but was probably only a few seconds, before Blaine's velvety voice reached his ears and he felt his entire body relax. "The horses and we are ready for departure, your majesty. The moment you decide on the order, we will comply." The words were too polite in the brunet's opinion and he mentally scowled at the phrasing. Even though he was familiar with it, it never stopped getting that reaction from him.

Kurt cleared his throat, making his voice more serious and decisive before finally saying "We should depart as soon as possible, I want to get there rapidly." Not a moment passed before each soldier replied with a 'Yes, your majesty!', then climbed onto their horse's back. The brunet did the same as them and walked towards Pavarotti, only to stop by his side to stare at the saddle on its back.

He didn't get a lot of chances to leave the kingdom, hence not a lot of chances to actually ride his horse were offered. Trying to recall his riding lessons, he rested his left leg on the left stirrup and pushed his weight on it to lift his body. However, the moment his other foot left the ground, balance became an issue and his body started leaning backwards with his arms flailing in the air. He was too shocked to even utter a sound.

The next thing he knew, he was seated on the saddle on Pavarotti's back. "Your highness, that was amazing!" voices around him told him, complimenting him on his elegant way of climbing his horse. He looked around him, still not comprehending the events that happened in the second he couldn't remember. His eyes fell on Blaine's form, still standing next to him horse, which was weird since all of the other soldiers were already ready on their respective horses. Only then did he notice the faint warmth lingering on his hips, with a small hint of lasting pressure.

The pressure and warmth were placed in the exact same location, forming a barely there hand print, one on each of his sides. _'Are those… Blaine's hand prints?'_ he thought to himself, subconsciously moving his own left hand to rest on his left side, right where the soft pressure was still present. He didn't know if the blush on his cheeks was from that feeling, or from the squad's constant cheering and compliments. He preferred to believe the real reason was the latter.

-XX-

They just passed the borderline between his kingdom and the Karofsky kingdom when Kurt couldn't take the silence anymore. It was almost suffocating, even though they were slowly riding in the open air. He glanced to his right from the corners of his eyes, sneaking a look at the corporal who rode beside him. He was looking straight forward, which gave the brunet the courage to stare a little, until a small thought popped into his head.

"Corporal," he said, catching the soldier's attention, "Why aren't you and your squad wearing any helmets?" He watched him swallow, gaze fleeting for a small moment to the bob of his Adam's apple as he did that action, before returning his gaze to the other's handsome face. After a moment he answered, seemingly embarrassed and even slightly frightened.

"Excuse me for making assumptions, your majesty. I just thought you might feel more comfortable being surrounded by faces rather than metal head protective gear." He paused for a moment before repeating, "Please excuse me for making assumptions". He didn't know it, but Kurt wasn't angry.

Actually, he was elated.

Blaine cared about him. He cared about him, and he wanted him to feel comfortable. He knew he had a huge smile spreading on his face, but he didn't mind, he was _that_ happy. He couldn't think about anything to tell the other, which made him fall silent as the silence resumed, though now slightly more comfortable.

The slow ride continued, the chirping of the birds and an occasional odd sound of shuffling somewhere in the woods in the air. "There's a crossroad coming soon." Blaine suddenly said after a particular noise. Kurt turned his head to stare at him, taking in his slightly tense pose. He thought they were taking the main road to the other kingdom, which was an almost completely straight line with absolutely no crossroads.

"How close is it?" asked a voice from behind him, which belonged to the dark skinned man who rode at the back of the squad as a rearguard.

A pause lingered in the air, before the answer came. "It's already at our sight." Now each of the soldiers seemed tense, some hands slowly gliding from their horses' reins. The prince leaned forward, squinting at the view before him. However, no matter how hard he looked, he couldn't spot a crossroad before them, not even a sign which indicated one.

Kurt opened his mouth, wanting to inquire about the seemingly invisible crossroad, when Blaine spoke again. "Half would take the right path, half would take the left path. No matter what happens, his majesty must stay safe." _'Safe from what? What is happening?'_ He was on the verge of panicking when he heard the first scream.

It wasn't a scream of pain, nor one of surprised. Actually, he never heard that kind of yelling before. Soon another scream followed, similar to the first one yet coming from the opposed direction. Looking first to his right and then to his left, he noticed two groups of people running towards them with weapons at hand. His eyes widened at the sight.

"Those are villagers! Do not kill, only submit!" was Blaine's order before a battle started. Some of the squad soldiers dismounted their horses, fighting the group of raging men face to face, while others stayed seated and struck from above. Unlike some of the soldiers, who seemed almost thrilled from the chance of being physically violent, the prince was absolutely petrified with everything that happened around him.

Apparently, his horse felt the same way as he did. Pavarotti neighed loudly as he rose to his back legs, succeeding in throwing Kurt to the ground. Once all of his legs were on the earth once more, the horse started in a frenzied galloping forward and away from the battle. The brunet stayed frozen on the ground, staring with wide eyes at the retreating figure of his beloved horse.

He stayed on the ground, oblivious to the ruckus around him as the men battled each other. He was helpless there, too shocked and helpless to move. A delicate – compared to the situation he was in – hand had been suddenly placed on his right shoulder, making him jump from the surprise. Kurt's head shot to the side, making his eyes gaze into two hazel orbs which were closer to his than he even imagined.

"Your majesty, I must get you to safety." The owner of those eyes whispered carefully, tugging him up gently where their bodies came into contact. The brunet nodded his head slightly, still quite dazed from the whole situation, and pulled himself to his feet with the other's help. The corporal quickly ushered him towards an umber horse which stood a few feet away from the scene of battle. It seemed to be trained for not running away at times of combat, unlike Pavarotti.

It seemed like the heat of battle was enough of a distraction for Blaine to get the prince out of the fighting unnoticed. The knight helped Kurt get on the horse, before quickly mounting the animal and sitting behind the other. He seemed unaware to their proximity in the urge to get the prince away of trouble, however the heat, which he could feel emanating from the other despite the armor, didn't go unnoticed by Kurt. A second after he sat down, the horse started galloping away from the other soldiers.

"You're leaving them behind?" Kurt asked him slightly worried, loud enough to be heard over the sound of the wind. He shouldn't leave his men behind to fight while he ran away!

It didn't take long for the other to answer. "In case of a violent conflict, I was ordered to immediately take you to safety." His answer sounded practiced, as if someone made sure he wouldn't be able to answer the question any differently. "They are all aware of our highest priority: keeping you safe."

He wasn't aware why, but the words caused a rose-colored blush to rise and cover his cheeks. He decided to stay quiet during the ride, unconsciously leaning slightly backwards to feel Blaine's figure more prominently against his back. It made him feel safe.

-XX-

It seemed like years have passed until they finally slowed down, stopping to rest. They haven't spoken a word from the moment they left the battle with everyone behind, but neither of them was planning on breaking the silence in the air. Blaine dismounted first, and then carefully helped Kurt get down from the horse's back.

The brunet looked around at the trees which surrounded them, his eyelids feeling heavy from the stress. His eyes, half shut, scanned the forest until he noticed a small stream, the water glistening from the sun's shine. Without thinking, he started walking towards it, ignoring the other's voice as he called for him.

Once next to the stream, he sat down and just looked at his reflection. His skin was paler than its usual porcelain complexion, looking sickly white and pasty. He looked mentally tired and physically ill, no resemblance at all to his usual appearance. Normally, he would have made an enormous fuss for not looking his best, however in that moment he couldn't bring himself to care even in the slightest. Instead, he continued to look at the image of a drained, scattered young man on the water's surface.

"Your majesty, there's blood on your clothes." He heard Blaine's even voice from right beside him. Apparently, he neither heard the corporal's steps as he walked towards him nor the noise of him sitting down beside him. He gave a fleeting look to the knight, followed by a fleeting look to his clothes. A small, red blotch stained the navy cape which hung from his shoulders, close to its rim. His carefully chosen clothes were stained, and he still couldn't bring himself to do anything about it. Something was definitely wrong with him.

"May I?" Blaine asked softly and the prince nodded, barely thinking. So what if that's not how he should have acted according to society, he couldn't care any less. Nodding slightly to himself, the other tugged gently on the fabric and dipped it cautiously into the flow of water. Kurt followed after his actions with his eyes, surprised at the amount of concern Blaine used while taking care of his clothes. Could this man seem any more perfect?

They were enveloped in nature's sounds, the warmth of the sun slowly reviving Kurt as he regained his strength. However, as much relaxed as he was, he could still detect some kind of nervousness in the slightly shorter man's figure: in the way he fidgeted with the stained fabric as he washed off the blood; in the uncomfortable looking slouch of his back as he leaned over the crystal clear water; most of all, in the lighting quick glances he threw at the prince when he thought the other was too preoccupied to notice.

"Your majesty," he began. Kurt tensed immediately, knowing the formal heading brought no good. "Please forgive me for making physical contact beforehand. I wouldn't have done that unless you were in danger, please forgive me." He pleaded while sneaking another glance, longer this time, at the brunette beside him.

Another apology. Blaine was being sorry for touching him, all because he was born to royalty. Another person who wouldn't get close to him because he was raised to rule the kingdom. Another person who wouldn't approach him unless confronted directly. Another person who only cared about him because of his status and not because of who he was.

The brunet gritted his teeth, all of the renewed energy turning into pure anger, though not because of Blaine. He was angry at society, he was angry at everything else, but not at Blaine. His fists were clenching and unclenching beside him from the internalized rage he felt. He didn't think before he opened his mouth and started ranting heatedly.

"I don't want apologies." Blaine's sideway glance became a worried stare, fearful of the reaction he was receiving. "I don't want people to risk their lives for me. I don't want people apologizing for doing trivial actions. I don't want to be called 'Your royal highness' or 'Your majesty'. I don't want to be treated differently!"

The last part came out as a desperate shout from Kurt's mouth, echoing through the forest around them. The knight next to him continued to stare in bewilderment at the young male, a strange emotion swelling up in his hazel eyes. "Your majesty…" he began softly, though he never got the chance to finish before the other sprung to his feet, towering above him.

"Don't call me that!" he said in an exasperated tone, misery spreading across his face. "I want people to call me by my name, calling out 'Kurt!' for me to notice them. I want to get to know more people, talk to them and make friends. I want to be surrounded by friends who would be there for me when I need them. I want someone to hold me closely, to care about me for who I am, to make me happy. I just want to be important to someone other than my father." During his speech, his arms warped around his body and tightened their grip around him the more he revealed.

Deciding to be completely honest without holding back, he released a shaky breath and added softly "I wanted you to be my friend." An unfamiliar noise left his mouth at the end of the sentence, a broken sob which foretold the lump in his throat as tears started filling his eyes. He looked anywhere but at the young man who sat before him, hands clutching desperately at his own shirt.

"I…" The realization of what he said didn't sink in until Blaine's equally soft replay reached his ears. Blaine was going to remind him how he can't get all that he wanted, how he had too much resting on his shoulders, and how he was stupid to even want all of those things. All in all, he was going to get awfully rejected, making things between them awkward and horrible.

He couldn't bear hearing him say those words. He couldn't stay there while knowing what was approaching. Making a quick decision, Kurt made a sharp turn and began his stroll back to the other's horse. He only managed a few strides before a large hand wrapped around his left wrist, preventing him from taking more steps towards the animal.

Glasz eyes locked with hazel ones in an almost identical way to their first meeting. Blaine's hand held the brunet tightly, his other palm slowly moving to rest on his other arm. "I would like to be your friend, Kurt" he whispered so only the two of them could hear, even though they were all alone. His features implied several feelings: insecurity, fear, desperation.

Delighted at the unexpected answer, Kurt quickly pulled Blaine towards him and into a hug. He smiled at the sound of cheerful laughing coming from the other male and the feeling of his arms wrapping around his back, relishing in how all the other emotions melted away and turned into happiness with that small gesture. He wasn't ashamed to admit he was cheerful as well.

There, sharing Blaine's warmth in their embrace, he felt the happiest he had felt since his mother passed away.

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><p><strong>AN: Hello! Yes, this time I'm writing at the end of the chapter.**

**I just want to say that if any of you are wondering, the crossroad Blaine is talking about is actually a code for being attacked. Makes sense now? I hope it does.**

**I want to thank the people who took their time to review! You are really awesome :D**


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm sorry it took so long for me to update! My beta had been very busy recently, and I wasn't feeling too well myself...**

**I want to thank every one of you who reviewed, added it to one of his lists or just bookmarked it! You are all amazing and fabulous! :D**

**The next chapter might take some time as well, I've been having some trouble with it (I'm probably the only person who has no problem describing things for eternity, but can't handle as smile dialog ._.).**

**Disclaimer: Glee isn't mine.**

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><p><strong><span>Chapter 3<span>**

Kurt checked his reflection for the last time, looking for any details which might not be perfect. His complexion looked significantly better and his eyes twinkled back at him from the water, a sign of how much better he felt. After their first break next to the stream, the two of them continued their way by the rivulet. They were almost at the castle where the peace conversations were to take place, and he insisted on stopping for a last moment check of his appearance.

"You can turn around now." He called out, turning around as well. Blaine, who had been facing the other way during Kurt's check, came face to face with the brunet and his mouth fell open to make a small 'O' shape. Kurt watched silently at the other's reaction, noting how the pair of hazel eyes racked over his body several times, seemingly not able to take in enough with just one look.

After a while, when the silence went on for too long, the prince started feeling nervous. He shifted his weight from one leg to the other, gaze fixed on the ground, before giving the knight before him a shy look and asking "How do I look?" The question seemed to snap the other out of his trance.

Blaine coughed awkwardly, his eyes stopping on Kurt's face as the other raised his head to look back at him. "You look perfect" was the reply as an admiring smile adored his lips. Kurt couldn't help but grin back at him. The statement excited him so much; the emotion could probably be felt in the air around him. His right hand unconsciously rose to his hair, making sure every bang was in its place. It lingered for a moment next to his ear, where a white flower was tucked into his chestnut locks. He felt the blossom was a nice touch, sure to be liked.

He remained standing there silently, trying to calm the random nerves which accompanied the thoughts of what he had to do. Even just the name 'Karofsky' made his entire body tense and the nerves to intensify. Noticing the sudden change in his attitude, Blaine placed a warm palm on his shoulder in a comforting manner. "You can do this," he said, "You just need to believe in yourself. Have courage."

The last word continued to echo in his head, the knight voice repeating it over and over again. "Courage" he mumbled quietly to himself. Somehow, the word managed to bring a grin to his face. Hearing a small laugh, he looked up and noticed the other was smiling as well. He allowed himself to bask a little in the warm feeling which spread across his body at the sight of his smile, before looking away shyly.

"We should probably get going, the sun is starting to set" Blaine pointed out, gesturing to the orange and pink shades which took over the previously blue sky. With the other's help, Kurt managed to mount the umber horse without losing balance. When he was seated and ready, Blaine took the reins and started walking while pulling the animal behind him. They were already close to the main city, and it was the only way they could make the prince look dignified with only one guard.

It took only a few minutes to reach the main gate. The Karofsky royal family lived in a castle surrounded by two barricades: a tall and sturdy wall separated it from the outside, supporting it with protection in case of an invasion, and a city full of people as a moral lifeline – no one would risk killing hundreds of men, women and children in order to take down the castle. It was David Karofsky's, the prince's, idea and it made Kurt sick. How could he risk the lives of so many innocent people in order to survive?

Three guards waited in front of the city's gate, each with a spear in hand. "Who are you?" they asked loudly, weapons pointed towards the two travelers before them. Blaine stopped the horse before announcing in an equally loud voice, "From the Hummel kingdom, Prince Kurt Hummel. His majesty has arrived to converse with your king." He finished with a deep bow towards the brunet in a final act of honor.

The guards bowed their heads before moving out of the way, leaving the entrance way clear. Blaine renewed his grip of the reins, and then led the horse into the city. Kurt couldn't help himself and started examining the new scenery around him. It was his first time in the city, making everything seem shiny and exciting.

His arrival seemed to cause a commotion as several residents of the city, mostly children, inched closer to the main road in order to stare upon the visiting prince. During their walk to the center of the city where the king resided, almost the entire town has gathered to gawk. Seeing no other option, Kurt raised his right hand and started waving.

At first, the stares only intensified. However, after several moments in which Kurt continued waving at the crowds, he managed to get some reactions: some maidens giggled and looked at the ground, a red blush dusting their cheeks. A couple of children ran forward and petted the horse's umber fur before running away with silly smiles. The men started smiling, as if his arrival meant good news for them, while the women were gossiping with each other.

The brunet allowed himself to look at Blaine, his hand still waving to the people of the town. The knight was still leading the horse forward, with a grin covering his face. Looking at the smirking guard, the prince guessed it was a reaction to all the attention they were getting. Perhaps he enjoyed it since he was a people person, Kurt thought to himself. The more he thought about it, imagined it, the bigger his smile grew. He decided he would like it if Blaine were a people person.

By the time they reached the castle gates, his right hand ached from waving to the people. Standing before the huge, open wooden doors was a man clad in metal armor, waiting for them to arrive. The announcement of their arrival must have been delivered quickly from the main gates to the castle itself. Behind the guard stood a skinny boy, one who hasn't even reached adulthood yet. He fidgeted with the hem of his shirt as he waited for orders, too nervous to even glance at the approaching prince.

When the horse came into a stop right a few feet away from the guard, Blaine walked towards the saddle and carefully helped Kurt down. The brunet greeted him with a thankful smile, an act which was not welcomed between royalty and soldiers. However, he liked to believe it was welcomed between friends, which they were. The knight grinned back at him, an act which made the other's heart melt. Kurt mentally scolded himself for being so influenced by the other man without really knowing him. Unfortunately for him, his heart liked to feel strong emotions towards men he barely knew, causing him to get hurt each time.

The guard took a step forward in order to catch the prince's attention before bowing in respect. The young boy behind him jumped slightly at the act and hurried to replicate it. However, his lack of experience showed in the way he bowed too deep and lost his balance, which resulted in him straightening up too early. The guard glared at him, a harsh scowl showing on his face.

After a moment, the guard seemed to remember who was standing in front of him and replaced his scowl with an obviously fake smile. "Welcome, your highness. I will lead you to the conference room to meet his majesty, the king." Kurt nodded in acknowledgment, not taking his eyes off the soldier as he turned around to look at the small boy once more. "With your permission, your highness, one of our stable boys will take your stallion to rest in our stables." The prince nodded his approval once more and the boy bowed once more before taking Blaine's horse away.

He started his way into the castle, following the guard before him closely. He noted that Blaine was walking behind him, far enough to be respectful yet close enough to give the brunet comfort, memorizing each guard's location. It wasn't long before two oak doors blocked their way, signaling the end of the impressing in its size hall. Not letting him wait, the soldiers guarding the doors opened them to reveal the conference hall.

The room was humongous, probably able to contain up to a hundred men, with an extremely tall ceiling. Each wall was covered in several artistic creations, everything from exceptional paintings to extraordinary statues on ceramic polls. Even the ceiling was painted in the colors of the sunset, giving the room a warm feeling, and in its middle a dazzling chandelier. Kurt couldn't help but gape at the sight, admiring the thought put into designing the room.

He was lead to the head of the long table, where a chair had been pulled out for him. Looking back towards the double doors, he signaled Blaine to stand behind his chair. He felt safer with the knight close to him, especially when being in a foreign territory. It was highly dangerous for him to visit with only one guard at his side, but the meeting could not be postponed. He sighed silently at the thought of his father's reaction if he were aware of his son's current state.

It took several minutes for the king, Paul Karofsky, to join him. It was rare for royalty to be late, since it was thought of as tremendously rude, especially when the person waiting was another royalty. However, when he did appear at the other side of the conference hall through a pair of doors similar to the ones which Kurt entered, his calm exterior failed to disguise the annoyance in his features.

"Prince Kurt Hummel, it's a pleasure," he said with a neutral tone and bowed slightly in respect. The brunet quickly stood up at his appearance, bowing as well. "It would have been a far greater one," Paul started again as he sat down on the other side of the long table, "if we were informed you were coming."

Silence enveloped the room as everyone remained quiet, anticipating the prince's response. However, he could only stare at the other man as if he couldn't believe the words he was hearing. In fact, he didn't. "I sent you a formal letter, asking for a meeting with you. I received a response specifying today's date, and here I am." When he finished talking, it was the king's turn to look baffled.

Before Paul could answer and state how that wasn't possible, the doors behind his chair opened to reveal another figure clad in armor and followed by three soldiers. "I invited him today, father" said the large figure before sitting down on the closest chair to his father and locking eyes with Kurt who recognized him immediately.

He was obviously larger and taller than Kurt, obviously a trained soldier. He was slightly chubby, a trait passed on from his father, with light brown hair which would probably be gone in a couple of years. He heard a lot about the man from his father, information he studied by heart as preparation for this encounter.

"Prince David Karofsky, it's a pleasure" he said in an overly sweet manner, giving him a smile which had been categorized as 'charming' by the gossiping maids. David scanned him from head to toe before a small smirk appeared on his face, seemingly pleased. The brunet had to suppress a shudder as fear started to shatter his courage as a reaction to that smirk.

_'Courage'_ he thought to himself, remembering Blaine's voice as he said the word, the smile which adored his face a moment later. If only he could turn around and glance at the knight who stood behind him, he would have done so gladly. He was snapped back into reality when David responded with a similar 'It's a pleasure'.

"Please, inform my father about the reason for your visit." He said while gesturing at the king beside him, his voice overly polite. The brunet returned the smile to his lips as he turned his gaze to the older man in front of him.

"Sir, I came to offer you a peace treaty." His statement obviously caught the king's attention. The Karofsky kingdom was known all across the land for its military force and strong military leading. It wasn't a surprise peace was never suggested for them before. Not waiting for any sort of comment from the couple of father and son, he continued his speech.

"McKinley land has always prospered the most when in peace, when each man could go on in his life without fretting. Regaining such a state would benefit all, from commoners to royalty. It—"

"How exactly would it benefit us?" David interrupted him, smirk still present on his face. "Please, explain." His tone was still polite, and it was filled with mock interest. Willing away the frown which threatened to appear on his face, keeping a smile on his face started being a challenge for Kurt.

"Well, it would improve life quality for people across the land; basking in their happiness, people will work harder and as a result, create better supplies. Their economic status would rise, and with it the taxes gathered across your kingdom. The territory in your kingdom is known for its potential, if it were safer travelers from across the land would come to settle here.

"Besides, the happiness of the king is measured by the happiness of his people" he finished, hoping the last statement would have some effect on the men before him. He didn't need a lot of words to make a statement; peace would help the people, which in turn would help the royal family's economic state. At least half of that statement should appeal to the king in front of him, as well to the prince next to him.

Paul seemed to think carefully about his proposal, probably repeating the words to himself quietly or mentally. Next to him, David continue to eye Kurt thoughtfully with the smirk still in place. When his speech wasn't met with a response, the brunet believed it might actually be easy. He was almost feeling his victory when David turned to talk to him.

"Would you include another proposal with the one of peace?" He asked out of nowhere, confusing the two other men in the room. His smirk seemed to grow as he added "Perhaps a marriage proposal? It is only expected to offer something to accompany your request of peace."

It seemed like Kurt's entire world slowed to a stop at that moment. The only sound he could hear was the rapid beating of his heart as it pounded in his chest. His eyes became unfocused as he just stared into the air around him without really looking at something. There were only two words occupying his brain, two words which made all of his other thoughts disappear.

_'Marriage… Proposal…?'_ He repeated to himself, a look of pure shock still frozen on his face. _'Does he mean… He wants to marry… Me?'_ Somewhere, a voice told him everything was going to be okay, that he wasn't going to marry someone he barely knows, that his father promised him it wouldn't happen. Unfortunately, that voice could barely be heard over the panicked screaming which filled his head, sweeping away all of his courage and replacing it with fright.

So many things he couldn't do popped into his head: running away, curling into a tight ball, crying, he couldn't to any of those. He couldn't just break apart because something didn't go the way he wanted it to. He took a deep breath, ignoring his obviously shaken before he tried smiling again. It was a small, weak smile which didn't even have a pinch from the confidence his previous smile held. Despite everything, he brought himself to answer.

"Marriage proposals are usually discussed between two kings." He said politely, moving his gaze to look at the king who sat directly in front of him. His expression was a mix of thoughtfulness and confusion, perhaps perceiving in the conversation. Kurt no longer dared to look as David.

Before another conversation between the two princes could start, Paul stood up and gained the attention of everyone in the room. "I listened to what you had to say, and now I ask you to give me time until my final decision is made. However, it is already quite late today. Please stay with us until tomorrow morning." He offered with a smile, then added "Your guard can stay in our military quarters" with an amused chuckle, probably at the fact he was referring to a single guard.

Kurt stood up as well, his smile a little more genuine as he did so. "Thank you for your kind offer, I appreciate it. However, my guard is ordered to stay by my side. The military quarters are not needed." The king nodded in acknowledgment, and gestured for one of the soldiers in the room to step closer.

"Please call the head butler, and ask of him to lead our guests to one of the vacant bedrooms." He ordered him. The man was about to leave when he was stopped right next to the doors. "Also, make sure one of our servants will take care of each of the prince's wills." The man nodded once again before leaving.

After being led through countless staircases and hallways, the servant they Kurt was assigned finally reached his room. The servant, the same young boy from when they reached the castle, held the door opened for him to enter.

The room was one of a regular size, which was very surprising when compared to the huge corridors and the conference halls. It contained a big bed, one which was able to contain three people without a problem, a closet to contain the clothes of its inhabitant and another door which probably lead to a bathroom.

Walking towards the huge window in the room and looking at the already dark skies, he called out for the boy servant. "What's your name?" the brunet asked quietly, looking back at the boy, who stared back at him with shock. "M…my name?" He asked, distressed. Kurt just nodded, trying to give the boy more confidence through a smile. "John" He finally answered, still looking quite terrified.

Smiling once more, the prince walked forward to kneel before the petrified boy. "Wake me up tomorrow at dawn. You are not needed tonight." John's eyes seemed to widen, reaching an impressive size. It was obvious he was going to protest before Kurt cut him off. "I'd rather stay alone this evening. We'll keep it our little secret."

The brunet watched carefully as John seemed to comprehend his order, before nodding carefully. Kurt stood up and walked over to the bed as the other walked slowly to the door, still expecting a different set of orders. "Oh, and please call my guard on your way back" He added.

He didn't get a reply from the servant boy, however moments later the door opened with a soft sound and closed just as quickly. "You asked for me, your majesty?" The voice he familiars with Blaine asked. Already seated on the bead, the brunt didn't even turn around to give him a disapproving look. There, in a room with no one except for Blaine, all of the previous panic he felt in the conference hall rose again.

"Blaine, I really need my friend right now." He whispered, his voice broken and slightly panicked. Everything felt like too much for him at that moment and he had to let it out. He felt the bed sink slightly next to him under the other's weight as he sat down. It was nice to feel a presence beside him, but he wasn't feeling any comfort until Blaine's hand settled on his back.

"Kurt," His voice was quiet, gentle, as he started moving his hand a little in a soothing motion, "are you feeling fine?" Kurt sighed. He was definitely not fine. Stressed, frightened, confused, those were better words to describe his state. Unconsciously leaning into the touch, all he could is look into the pair of hazel eyes and shake his head.

Just as his touch, Blaine's eyes were gentle as he looked at him. "You need to relax a little, get your thoughts in order." He said softly, only a whisper next to the other's ear, getting a small nod in response. "You should get a good night sleep. I'll be right outside this door, guarding you." Another nod, a slower one as sleep started taking over his body.

The knight helped him slowly into a lying position before moving towards the door to exit the room. One step away from exiting the room, he stopped and turned his head towards the bed. Kurt looked back at him, and even through the haze of sleep which started affecting him, he was sure the small smile he saw on Blaine's face wasn't his imagination.

"Everything is going to be fine." He finally said before exiting the room and closing the door behind him. Snuggling under the covers on his temporary bed, as he slowly fell asleep, his last thought was that everything _was_ going to be alright.


	4. Chapter 4

**There aren't enough words to express how sorry I am that this update took forever. If someone is interested in why, it's because my Beta had been abroad 'till the end of august and sent me the finished product a week into September. From then, school has been absolutely hectic, leaving me no time for the final edit.**

**But now, the chapter is done and ready for you! Because the delay hadn't been during the writing, I couldn't make it up for you today. However, the next chapter will be extremely long (At 3,500 words, I'm about at the middle of the chapter), and I will write a special surprise for you! Hopefully, you'll get an update next Friday/Saturday.**

**I'll stop rambling for now, and let you read :)**

**EDIT: FF had been causing me some issues with this chapter which I had to fix... If there's any weird wording/letters, please tell me!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

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><p><strong><span>Chapter 4<span>**

Kurt woke up to rays of light shining upon his face. His sleep has lacked dreams in a disturbing way, leaving his restless. He always had dreams, usually about his ideal life with a living mother and a loving spouse. On less fortunate events, his dreams consisted of the past: his mother's illness and death, his father leaving him to fight in wars, rarely even blood-filled nightmares. However, for as long as he could remember, he had dreams.

He was supposed to have a good night sleep, to relax and rethink the events from the day before. Instead, he had been turning in his sleep, an unusual dreamless sleep, and he felt even more distressed that morning. Placing his palms over his eyes, he let his mind think shortly about the lack of equipment he needed for his daily moisturizer routine. He fussed about the idea of not going through his routine for a couple of moments before a voice inside his head told him he had more important issues to fuss about.

Two soft knocks on the door disrupted the argument that started in his head, reminding him where he was. "Come in," he called out, his voice slightly hoarse from sleeping. He coughed a couple of times to get rid of the rough edge to his voice when the boy from the day before, John was his name, walked into the room.

John stood awkwardly at the entrance of the room, just looking shyly at the brunet. Kurt sat up against the headboard, offering a smile to the fretting boy. However, unlike the day before, it didn't seem to help the boy's anxiety. He probably saw through the fake smile he was offered. With a sigh, he dropped the fake laugh and just looked at the servant with a neutral expression.

"Your highness, you asked to be awakened at this moment." Kurt nodded, the fact he was awake was obvious. "Also, the rest of your guards have arrived late at night. They all seem to be okay." The brunet made a relived noised at the sound of that announcement. He wouldn't have forgiven himself if someone got hurt because of him. He nodded at the boy, signaling that he could leave. However, the boy didn't move. "His highness prince David wanted me to deliver this outfit for you. He hopes it would be to your liking." He placed a carefully folded square of cloth on the edge of the bed before leaving the room.

For what felt like hours, Kurt only stared at the square. He barely managed to contain the memories of the day before, and they came tumbling at him the moment that name was mentioned. He wanted to call Blaine's name, to get him in the room and to sit with him in silence for a while. Blaine was the only person who knew about David's question, the only person who would know the reason to his distress.

_'No one else has to know'_ a voice inside his head whispered. And that voice was completely right. If he asked him to, Blaine would keep this a secret between them. There was no reason to trouble his father with the marriage issue, and David wouldn't risk his reputation by proposing to another man. He probably wanted the marriage, only he didn't want people to know it was his idea. As long as Kurt wouldn't make any sign which would give him the idea he wanted a marriage as well, there would not be one in his future. At least not between him and David Karofsky.

Grabbing the clothes he received, the brunet started his way towards the bathroom. He would just return to his home and tell his father they need time to think about the peace offer, and keep the exact content of the conversation to himself. If he played it right, no one would find out and he could keep on living his life normally as if nothing happened. His plan was foolproof.

He managed to act normally during the way back to his kingdom, ignoring any worried glances Blaine might have sent his way. It didn't matter if deep down he felt worried and even terrified, as a prince he had to radiate confidence. If the royal family felt nervous, panic would arise in the whole kingdom. His happiness was measured by the people's happiness, not his real feelings. They would always matter more to him than himself.

When he finally arrived to the castle, his father had been waiting next to the gates. He was preparing a speech about standing outside during a cold evening and was about to start it when his father pulled him into a tight hug. It was very awkward, seeing as how Kurt was still sitting on a horse. "Father, let me get down" he managed to say between giggles he couldn't suppress and Burt let him go.

After a couple more hugs, he walked with his father back to the castle, where he asked about his quest. He kept his answers short and to the point, following his plan. If it made his father suspicious, he pretended not to notice. When his questions stopped, Kurt pretended he was tired from the long travel and started walking away from where his father remained. He made a quick visit to his room, changing his outfit to the one he had been planning in his head during the ride from kingdom to kingdom. Checking his appearance in the mirror three times, he made sure he looked perfect before quietly leaving his room.

He found Blaine at the stables, slowly stroking his horse's hair. He didn't notice him at first, probably deep in thought. For a moment, Kurt just stared at him: at his posture, the way the muscles of his arm flexed as he moved the brushed, the way his eyes were slightly glazed as he stared into space. Finally, when he thought he had been staring enough, he cleared his throat to catch the other's attention.

Snapping out of his daydream, he had quickly turned to the source of the voice. Noticing the person who stood only a few steps from him, his jaw slackened as he stared with no shame at the other man. "Like what you see?" Kurt couldn't help but ask, a smirk growing on his face. The other man closed his mouth when he heard the comment, his eyes looking up into the pair of glasz ones. However, they didn't stay there long before he started looking up and down at the brunet.

The prince looked down at his outfit choice, mimicking Blaine's movements. He wore a simple white tunic, which was a little open at the collar, and brown breeches completed with a pair of black leather boots. It was a very good copy of Blaine's wardrobe, if Kurt could say so himself.

"Why are you dressed as if you were a stable boy?" Blaine asked, the words coming out quickly and unexpected. Then, as if the fact he had spoken didn't register in his head at first, his head snapped to his right before snapping to his left. The action made Kurt pout; couldn't Blaine compliment his looks before checking to see if there was anyone around? They obviously had different priorities.

Convinced no one has followed the brunet to the stables, Blaine finally calmed down enough to look back at him. "I just wanted to fit in. There're less chances of anyone recognizing me if I look more like a servant than a prince." He finally answered with a smug grin. The knight looked at his choice of clothing one more time before chuckling lowly.

Kurt had been waiting to hear the other's thoughts, his heart beating quickly in his chest with anticipation. Would he like his outfit? Or would he hate it? Would he be upset about his visit, or would he be excited to see him? So many questions without answers has been circling in his head, questions which he desperately needed Blaine to answer. When it had seemed as if the knight was about to start talking, just when the brunet started leaning forward, a loud noise reached their ears.

"Blaine?" a voice echoed through the stables. Blaine seemed to freeze as a reaction, his eyes flickering from side to side in frenzy. Seemingly reaching a conclusion, he quickly grasped the prince's arm and pulled him further into the structure. A few feet behind Blaine's horse, near the back of the stables, was a small pile of straw, obviously meant to feed the animals. Without giving the other a warning, he beckoned him behind the heap and on the soil where he was barely visible to an unsuspecting visitor.

Kurt huffed quietly in annoyance, making sure to stay crouched behind the small mound. Even though he had disguised himself as a stable boy, the fabrics were brought from far travels and bought with not a small amount of money. Soil stains would be unexplainable to the palace's laundresses, but also a disgrace to the skillful creator and to the clothes themselves. From the corner of his eye he noticed a young man walking towards Blaine, an excited smile covering his face.

"Blaine" he said, his voice identical to the one from just a moment before. The other man nodded with a small smile, acknowledging his presence without taking his eyes off his task of brushing his horse's hair. "Are you sure you won't come with us? The tavern isn't that far from here, we could still catch up with the others." His voice was full with hope and excitement, storing such strong amounts of those emotions almost to the point where he sounded desperate.

Blaine's hand stopped its movement, moving to drop the wooden brush on a stool nearby before offering the other a very polite and comforting smile. "Thank you, Thad, but I rather staying here. Evelyn would not be happy without her promised grooming." The umber animal neighed loudly as if agreeing with its master, followed by a licking his hand affectionately. He responded with a quiet laugh, oblivious to the other's, Thad's, change of attitude.

"Oh…" he said quietly, his smile vanishing from his face as the hope vanished from his voice. Sadness has taken over every inch of his body for a moment, an unfamiliar emotion visible in his eyes, as he gave the other a look. It took a mere second for something to flash in Thad's eyes, changing everything about him from his face to his posture. The change had been so sudden Kurt had nearly missed it.

"Then I'll stay and keep you company! We can still celebrate a job well down here in the stables. It wouldn't feel right leaving you alone." Blaine gave him a soft smile, and for a moment, Kurt almost believed he would agree to the suggestion. Anger and disappointment already started bubbling inside him when Blaine shook his head and told the other night to 'not worry about him and go have some fun'.

The brunet took a deep, relaxing breath as he waited for Thad to leave the stables. He heard the sound of footsteps, long breaks between each sound as the young man took his time. He wanted to stay hidden, possibly wait until the other male gave him a signal. However, running his fingers through chestnut locks only to find said locks wrapped around several straws – how they snuck into his hair, he hadn't a clue – blew all thoughts of waiting from his mind.

"I can't believe you wanted me to hide here, of all places!" Kurt straightened up from his hiding spot. "Now I have _this_ stuck in my hair!" He gestured frantically to the top of his head, pure wrath evident in his voice. It had the tone he only used when a house cleaner mistreated his garments, or when his father tried overlooking his comments about health.

The knight turned around to face him, immediately inspecting the basis of the other's protests. "Your hair looks admirable as always." He commented in a hesitant voice, his features tense and cautious in mild discomfort.

"You obviously have low standards." Kurt replied quite sternly, although he softened at the comment and Blaine's careful demeanor. He moved away from his hiding place to stand on the other side of Evelyn, stopping shortly next to the knight in order to grab a small, wooden brush similar to the one he used before.

He used the object to sweep gently through the horse's hair, soothing her after every movement of the brush with a soft caress of his palm. The two men fell into awkward silence at each tended to a different side of the animal, neither one sure of what was expected in that kind of unusual encounter.

"The rest of your squad went to a tavern?" Kurt finally gathered enough courage to ask, thankful to be sheltered from Blaine's piercing eyes when he finally spoke up.

He received a small hum of agreement from the other side of the horse. "It's rare for us to stay the night in the kingdom," he explained, "and the men usually take advantage of those to reunite with nearby fiancées or to just spend a night next to a woman." His voice took a light tone as he spoke of his squad, and the brunet could imagine the small grin tagging on the other's lips.

He copied the other's first answer, humming shortly to express his understanding. "Why won't you join them?" He inquired after a short pause, his curiosity getting the better of him. It took time for him to get a response, Blaine obviously considering his response extremely carefully. The brunet didn't push; he felt as if he crossed a faint line without knowing what it symbolized. Even though he stopped expecting an answer, a small thought at the back of his head continued pestering him.

_'Does that mean he doesn't trust me?'_ The thought made his chest ache oddly, a kind of pain he had never felt before spreading across his body.

"Their reasons for going do not interest me." The answer had been barely over a whisper, so low and careful the prince had nearly missed it. His mind tried to process his answer, to comprehend the meaning behind his words. The implication had been made completely obvious when Blaine added even more softly, "Neither liquor, nor women."

"Me, too." Kurt found himself saying the two words without thinking, yet he didn't care. He wasn't the only one. He wasn't alone anymore. There was someone similar to him, and he stood on the other side of the horse before him. So many emotions bubbled deep inside Kurt, he almost choked on their intensity. Without even noticing, a huge smile formed on his face.

His arm continued to move mechanically, brushing Evelyn's hair until a strong neigh broke him out of his reverie. He quickly removed his hands from the animal, thinking he had harmed her in a way. He heard Blaine chuckle, and suddenly he were beside him and taking the brunet's right hand in his.

"She's very sensitive here." He explained in a hushed tone even though they were the only ones in the stables. Blaine raised his hand, lifting Kurt's hand with it, and placed it softly back at the horse before him. They started from the top of Evelyn's back and slowly moved the brush through her hairs until they reached her abdomen. Then they repeated the movement again, and again.

They stayed in the same position for a while, with Blaine standing close behind Kurt and their hands connected as they groomed the knight's horse. They conversed softly during the entire time; Kurt had mentioned his love for music and melodies, and Blaine admitted the squad would sing harmonies when they had free time. Neither knew how long they stood next to another, just enjoying the pleasant company, until the brunet stepped away.

"I should probably return to my quarters, it's quite late." He sighed as he reluctantly let go of the brush and the knight's hand let go of his. He offered the other man a genuine smile before he started walking slowly to the exit.

He stopped and quickly turned around when he heard the low sound of Blaine calling out his name. "Kurt," he said again when the brunet man was facing him, "there are a lot of things you don't know about me."

The prince smiled back at him, "Then I'll just have to find out more."

Blaine let out an exasperated sound. "That's not what I—You don't understa—" Kurt waited patiently as the other started, then stopped talking in the middle of his sentence. After a couple of unfinished sentences, Blaine moved his hand through his curls with a sign.

Giving Kurt a petite smile, he finally settled with "Good night, Kurt."

* * *

><p><strong>Please review!<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

It was the middle of spring, right at the point when the temperature outside was perfect, neither too hot nor too cold. Flowers bloomed all over the royal garden, decorating the area with festive colors. It brought the whole castle to life, giving everyone a sense of regeneration. It was truly a wonderful time of year.

Kurt was ecstatic. Leaning slightly out of his bedroom window, he took a deep breath, smelling the warm yet cool air outside. With everything that had been happening lately, he barely noticed that time of the year was already closing in. There was a reason why he waited every year for spring, a reason that was quickly closing up on him.

Every year, right in the middle of spring, the Hummel kingdom organized a banquet. It was more of a ball, actually, revolving around renewal and new beginnings. Almost every kingdom in the land of McKinley attended the event, dedicated to the royal families which signed a peace treaty. Together, they celebrated one more step towards peace and unity.

However, the most appreciated attribute of the event, for Kurt, was planning everything. A couple of weeks into the season, when the event was already noticeable in the future, the king would step down and take a more laid back position while the brunet took over. He was in charge of everything in the planning; decorations, entertainment, music, sending out invitations… The only job he gave his father was to position the guards around the great hall, and even that small task was constantly over looked by the young prince.

He decided to choose the royal garden as that year's theme, using the warm pallet of flower colors and fabrics as delicate as petals. For the first week of planning, Kurt spent most of his time outside in the green scenery, writing down ideas and notes on a parchment. He would visit the garden from an early hour until his skin began to redden, then took a small break until his skin recovered only to exit once more into the sun.

Despite dedicating all of him into the planning of the ball, Kurt was still determined to visit Blaine at least three times a week. Sometimes, he would find himself gushing over the details of a specific decoration or the gentle touch of a fabric as they gave attention to Blaine's horse. Mostly, the prince would sleepily lean against the knight, exhausted from running around and managing dozens of maids and butlers, as the two whispered hushed sentences about practically everything.

Having a friend was an all-new experience for Kurt. Sneaking out of his room at the dead of night to meet a handsome man who was interested in talking to him was never even slightly hinted in his dreams. Yet he did so almost every night, and he felt warmth in his chest and tingling in his stomach just from thinking about those experiences. Everything about the other man bewildered Kurt, and all he could think about every meeting they had was getting more information and spending more time with the other male.

He remembered one night in particular, when Blaine and his squad were sent to patrol around the kingdom for a couple of days after rumors of escaped convicts reached Burt. A day before they came back, the brunet lied down in his bed feeling lonelier than he felt in a long while. With great effort, he pushed all thoughts of longing out of his mind and did what he always did when those feelings crept on him.

Making sure no one was around his room at that hour of night, he silently walked along the corridor until he reached a pair of big, oak doors. Carefully, he pushed them open and strutted into the abandoned room. It used to be his parents' old bedroom, though his father decided to move into another one after the queen had passed away.

Kurt opened the drawers of the old vanity, taking the sweet smell in with a deep breath and savoring it. He slowly lied down on the floor, memories of his mother flooding him. Just like every night he visited the old room and memories, he opened up his heart and shared his emotions out loud, knowing that somehow, his mother was listening to him.

That particular night, he had told her everything about Blaine. The day they met, about how the corporal saved Burt's life and charmed Kurt with his bright smile and hazel eyes. How he considered his wishes as he escorted him across the land, and how he saved his life when they were attacked. He gave her every single detail about their first real conversation next to the stream, and how those words earned him the one thing he thought he might never get.

When he finished telling her about every night they spent together in the stables, each conversation they had, he continued to lie there and just stare silently at the ceiling about him. Remembering how all of his emotion got stuck in his throat every time Blaine looked at him, how he couldn't breathe when Blaine said his name, and how his heart would momentarily stop every time he got that thoughtful, warm smile directed at him, he couldn't help but whisper one more thought to his mother's vanity.

"Is this how falling in love feels like?" His voice was barely about a whisper, said in a tone which held too many foreign emotions to be called his own, as if someone else asked it. Because there was no other explanation to all of his reactions to the other man, and honestly, he didn't want any other reason.

He wanted to be in love with Blaine. And he was.

From the evening he had that epiphany, every moment with the knight became more intense; every soft word whispered to him in a dark and empty stable, every gentle touch that had accidently occurred, every penetrating look that they shared between them became almost too much for the prince. Every action meant so much more than before, and he had to almost physically hit himself to prevent him from screaming all of his feelings at the other male.

For now, Kurt would stay quiet. He would remain only friends with Blaine, no matter how much more he wanted to be. He would rather have Blaine as a friend, as the one person he would genuinely talk to, than to tell him how he felt and risk driving him away. At that moment, he wasn't brave enough to take that chance, no matter how much courage Blaine told him to have.

The evening of the ball came too quickly for Kurt. A couple of hours before the event began, when he should have been taking a long, relaxing bath to prepare himself, he was still calling out instructions when the final touches were made. He started his preparations almost an hour late, skipping on relaxing in order to look as stunning as he should look for such a major event.

The Hummels' annual ball was also one of the several occasions on which he got to meet the other royal heirs who were his age. He considered them all as acquaintances and was even slightly befriended some, yet he still couldn't define them as close friends when they all lived so far away from him. He would meet everyone a couple of times a year, and stay lonely the rest of the days.

_'No, not lonely anymore,' _He thought with a smile as he carefully descended down the stairs, _'I have Blaine now_'. He let out a happy sigh as an image of the knight showed up in his mind. If he remembered the positions correctly, Blaine was supposed to be guarding the slight stage on which stood the two thrones, one for him and one for his father. Meaning, Blaine would be a couple of steps away from Kurt's seat. Making sure no one was around to question his behavior, he let himself giggle softly in excitement.

Once he reached the great hall, noticing more than a few guests have already arrived, he began his way across the huge room to welcome each guest.

The first one of his distant-friends he noticed was Rachel Berry, a short brunette who had been busy staring solemnly at the dance floor. However, what the girl lacked in height, she compensated with determination and loudness. Her parents gave her partial control over the Berry kingdom, which she used to implant the 'Beauty of the arts', as she liked to call it, in the mind of the villagers.

The girl had an amazing voice, Kurt gave her that, but she tended to come-on too strong and frightens the people she accosted. They say the number of children who cried because of her criticism has reached triple figures. He slowly approached the shorter girl, checking for any signs that indicated she was going to break in song or start a monologue about her feelings.

"Hey, Rachel." He said once he stood by her side. The girl offered him in response a small nod to acknowledge him and nothing more. He looked in the direction she was staring, trying to find what object in the ball has made the usually very loud princess speechless. He made a small 'Oh' sound when he noticed; it wasn't an object, rather two people dancing on the floor.

The one thing he heard Rachel talk about more than singing was Finn Hudson. He was a cute though very awkward prince from the Hudson kingdom at the west part of the land. He was freakishly tall, which was the main reason for his awkwardness, but he had a good voice to recompense. You would think Rachel fell in love with him because of that talent, be she wasn't shallow.

Most of the time, Finn was very kind, almost to the point of chivalry. When he wasn't, he was extremely oblivious to the point where it passed cute and reached annoying. If he had to admit, Kurt used to have a crush on him.

It was a couple of years prior to that day, when his mother's death was still fresh in his mind. Finn and his mother came to visit Kurt and his father, to both console and try to help with some urging matters. Kurt was feeling lonelier than usual when Finn came up to him and offered his company while their parents walked. It was an awkward conversation, both not knowing what to say. However, the fact that Finn was willing to stay next to him was the only thing the brunet noticed about the other male. That side of the tall male was the aspect of the boy Kurt fell in love with.

But years have passed since, and so did his crush. Now Rachel was the one with the unrequited love, and she was the one who got jealous of the Blond woman who was currently being held by Finn.

Ever since they were three years old, Finn Hudson and Quinn Fabray were promised to each other, a vow made by their parents. The rulers of the Fabray kingdom and the Hudson kingdom had been friends for generations and waited for the day they could merge their families through marriage. When both Finn and Quinn were born, their wishes were answered.

Quinn Fabray was probably the most beautiful maiden Kurt has every laid eye upon, except for his own mother. With amazing hazel eyes, flowing blond hair and very slim waist, she caught the eye of every male where ever she went. She was very ambitious, always planning ahead to make sure her future would be perfect.

Some people said she was only interested in Finn to please her parents and to have someone handsome as her husband, a rumor he was quite sure Rachel started, but he chose to believe differently. She had a warm look in her eyes every time they rested on him, and it was visible she felt something for him in the way she interacted with him. And, after his crush had passed, he was truly happy for them.

"Don't think I'm just moping around, I have foolproof plan." Rachel's voice broke him out of his reverie, making his head snap at her direction to look at her. "Finn will dance with me, and Finn will fall in love with me and Finn will be mine." She said with a determined voice, before casting her gaze to the floor shyly and whispering "after he notices my dress." After that comment, Kurt left her in order to welcome some of the other guests.

He said hello to Mike and Tina, another pair of distant friends, who were engaged to each other. Both their families originated from a faraway country before coming to McKinley, giving the people of the Cohen-Chang and Chang kingdoms a distinctive look. Their slightly similar traits made an ignorant rumor start about them, saying they were actually cousins getting married.

He noticed Noah Puckerman, a womanizer, from the corner of his eye. Puck, as he preferred to be called, has been doing the same thing every event he attended since he reached the age of fifteen; He would arrive at the ball or banquet, spend a small amount of time socializing before looking for a prey. Every time, he would pick a different maid from the staff of the hosting family and disappear with her for a variable amount of time. Usually at the end of the evening, he would reappear out of no-where, as if he never left, and the maid of the night would return to her duties, flustered and blushing. According to Puck himself, he never chose the same maid twice.

Santana Lopez was currently standing next to Puck, one hip jutting to the right in a seductive manner, as they shared a conversation. Santana was almost a female version of Puckerman, only she considered herself of 'having standards'. Instead of picking up a man every social event she went to, Santana adored the art of seduction. She would make sensual movements with her body, flirting with every good-looking male who talked to her. When she was really desperate, she would even settle for an average-looking butler to satisfy her needs.

He walked to them, stopping a very disturbing conversation he never wanted to hear again in order to greet them. Puck returned the gesture, slyly asking if they hired any new maids, while Santana just rolled her eyes before leaving the two of them. She made her way towards a perky blond on the dance floor, whom she hugged before linking pinkies with.

The other princess was Brittany S. Pierce, the only person Santana was actually close to. Dense was an understatement when describing Brittany, but she was thick in an adorable kind of way. Once you got used to her random exclamations, nothing could surprise you. Her parents left her to rule the kingdom when she reached the age of sixteen in favor of traveling and seeing the world. Luckily for the Pierce kingdom, they also left her with her uncle Lord Tubbington, a tall and lanky old man with years of wisdom. While Brittany was the face of the royal family, Lord Tubbington was the mind of it.

In the corner of the great hall, next to the long table of refreshments and delicacies, was Artie Abrams. Artie was in some weird accident a few years back, which robbed him from his ability to walk and feel anything below his waist. After the shock of the damage, his parents searched across the land for a medicine which would cure their son. Unfortunately, the best they found was an engineer who made a contraption especially for him, making him portable once more.

The weirdest part about Artie's condition was the accident which led to it; no one knew for sure what happened, though there were plenty of guesses and rumors. They ranged from trivial ones like a carriage accident and war wound, to crazy assumptions as falling from the roof of his castle while he tried to reach the stars (only one of the many pearls Brittany provided).

"Kurt!" The brunet turned around when someone called his voice, only to be pulled into a crushing hug he gladly returned. The arms around him belonged to Mercedes, Kurt's closest friend and the only one he tried to keep a long-distance friendship with. They clicked the first time they met, at Mercedes' first social event, and made sure to keep in touch ever since. The only problem was that their kingdoms were on the opposite sides of the land.

"Mercedes!" He called out loud when she released him, panting slightly to catch his breath. He looked at her, checking her outfit from the shoes to the silver locket around her neck before grabbing her hand and forcing her into a twirl. "You look fabulous! And so fierce!" He commented and she giggled.

Once she got her footing back, she looked him up and down before spinning him as well. "I could say the same about you." She said with a smile as Kurt turned gracefully without losing his balance.

They continued talking for a long while, catching up on everything that happened to the other and every new rumor they have heard since they last spoken. Kurt was in the middle of his speech on how red and yellow clothing should never be worn together when he noticed his friend was looking somewhere else. "Mercedes?" He asked, trying to get her attention, but to no avail. Only when he waved his hand in front of her eyes did she react.

"Huh? Kurt? Oh, right, you were talking. What were you saying?" She asked with a sheepish smile, clearly apologetic. Kurt shook his head in response.

"You're not getting out of this so easily, missy." He said in an exaggerated formal tone. "Where were you looking exactly?" He asked sternly, the smile on his face signifying he was joking yet serious at the same time. With a sigh, she checked to see if anyone was looking at them before shyly pointing at a person on her left, a few feet away from her.

The blond hair and slightly unfamiliar facial traits got Kurt the answer he was looking for. "You're interested in the new kid." He more of stated than asked, a smirk wide and teasing on his face. Mercedes blushed at his words, claiming that 'He sounded really nice the one time I talked to him'.

Sam Evans, the man they were currently observing while speaking silently, was the heir of a new kingdom which had only been founded a few months before that day. It was a small and new kingdom, still quite poor after founding the entire kingdom. It still somewhat depended on other kingdoms for help, but it was slowly heading towards independence.

Kurt himself only had a few chances to talk with Sam, and they boy was quite intriguing. Remembering the weird experience he had the last time he tried talking to the blond, who decided to converse in a language Kurt has never heard of, he decided to try and help.

"Go talk to him." The brunet said suddenly, an excited grin appearing on his face at the idea.

"No way, Kurt, I can't just walk over there!" She protested, her cheeks turning even redder at the suggestion. Kurt rolled his eyes at her response before grabbing her hand and pulling her towards where Sam was standing alone and looking at the dance floor.

The blond man gave them a strange look when they stopped next to him. "Sam," Kurt started in a polite tone, "Mercedes here is really curious of how your kingdom is progressing. It's an exciting procedure, founding a new kingdom! She would also really like to dance with you; she's just too shy to say so." He ignored the shocked look on his friend's face, knowing he may have just dug his own grave. Nevertheless, he left the two alone. When he turned to look at the two after he had put some distance between them, he noted the small smile on Sam's face as they conversed.

As he turned to look around him, he noted how the entire room was full with people from all around the land. It must have been almost the middle of the ball. He stood next to a wall, gazing at the dance floor thoughtfully. There were sounds of shuffling and footsteps before Finn stopped to stand beside him.

"They seem to get along great." He noted, pointing at the dance floor where Burt and Carole were dancing together, smiles on each of their faces. Carole, Finn's mother, lost her husband to the war that almost ruined half of McKinley over ten years ago. After both losing their spouse and love, the two seemed to spend a lot of time together.

Kurt smiled and nodded, staring a little. "Dad talks about her a lot." He spared a glance at Finn, and ended up staring as a thought was processed in the other's head. The sight was almost mesmerizing; at first, Finn's eyes became glossy as he stopped paying attention to anything around him and just stared into space. Afterwards, his brow furrowed as his mind started working, his face turning red slightly from the effort. Then, his entire face relaxed as the process ended, obvious relief visible as his mind accepted the conclusion.

The taller man turned to look at him, making Kurt raise an eyebrow delicately at the grin which was directed his way. "Dude, there's a chance we'll be brothers!" He exclaimed happily, juvenile excitement in his words. The comment only made the shorter prince raise both of his brows in bewilderment.

Finn just reached the thought of their parents marrying, and he seemed totally okay with it. Trying to carefully hide his surprise, Kurt only nodded with a small smile before walking away. He wasn't exactly sure how he would handle his dad re-marrying, the pain of his mother still feeling as fresh as if she passed away only the day before.

The sound of synchronized footsteps reached his ears, making him turn around. The guests were standing on both sides of the hall, whispering and staring as a full squad of armed and armored soldiers made their way into the room. They stopped a couple of steps before the stage on which the thrones sat, where the king stared at them with an unreadable expression. Kurt hurried to his father side, straightening his stance to try and look authoritative.

One of the soldiers, the man who stood in the middle of the front row, stepped forward. He reached for a long piece of parchment. He quickly opened it and cleared his voice before reading in a clear tone.

"By the name of King Paul Karofsky, and his son, David Karofsky, we have come to speak of the matter of peace." The man started and the words he read made Kurt frown. It was a message from the Karofsky kingdom, which had been sent on the exact same day their annual ball occurred. It was no coincidence, the prince was sure of it, which made him feel uneasy. What is written in that letter, which should be read in front of their allies?

"Your offer of peace and reasoning had been weighed thoughtfully, as well as Prince Kurt Hummel's proposal of arranged marriage." That was the catch. David, the only person who ever mentioned the word 'marriage', was trying to make it look as if it were his idea. It took only a second for whispering to pass between the present spectators, some of them yelling obscene curse words at him from the large crowd.

It also took a mere second for Kurt's instinct, probably his survival one, to take over his soon-to-be frozen body. "I said no such thing!" He quickly shrieked at the announcer, a façade of confidence while he started panicking inside. He turned to look at his father, who was staring back with a shocked expression. Kurt looked him right in the eyes, showing his the seriousness of his comment, as well as the slight panic bubbling inside of him as a cry for some help.

Thankfully, his father was quick at coming to his defense. "You will not walk into my kingdom to spread lies about my son!" He roared, his tone accusing and threatening. The man didn't even seem to listen, looking almost bored as he took in the reactions of the guests. When they start to quiet down slightly, he resumed his reading.

"However," He started and a grin slowly appeared on his face with every vowel he pronounced, "The Karofsky royal family would not be tricked. We refuse your offer," he stopped momentarily for a little dramatic effect, "and instead announce a war between the two kingdoms!" The moment the word 'war' came out of his mouth, every soldier in the foreign squad drew out his sword and charged.

Most of them ran towards Kurt and his father. They were stopped mid-way by the guards who rushed forward the moment they processed the announcement. A few ran towards the guests with wicked smirks and slashed the air in a menacing yet playful manner, obviously going on intimidation instead of actually hurting them. It worked, though, as every person in the room who weren't from the Hummel kingdom rushed through the gates and ran away to their carriages.

Kurt started backing away slowly as he watched in horror. His father already had a sword in hand, which was given to him from a random guard, and he fended off the ones who managed to break through the wall of guards protecting them. There seemed to be numerous soldiers in the invading squad, which made the guards call for backup in response.

There were two or three dozen guards separating him from the attackers. Nevertheless, he was frozen where he stood, petrified. The sound of metal clashing against metal, a mix of battle cries filled with determination and pained cries filled with sorrow. He could see bodies falling to the ground, he could see how pools of blood formed around those who lay motionlessly on the ground. He became even more horrified when he realized he couldn't look away.

He stared at the fight before him; even though he was staring right at them, without even blinking, he couldn't take anything in. His mind refused to function under the stress the beginning of war brought. He barely even flinched when his father called his name desperately, bringing to his attention the soldier who ran straight towards him with a bloodied sword in his hand.

He stood still, eyes as wide as saucers, and he watched silently as a man in full body armor stepped before him and blocked the swing of a sword which was directed at him. The man in front of him remained rooted to his place as he stroked back, keeping his stance as he fended off any soldier who came close to the prince.

"Someone take him to safety!" He recognized his father's voice calling, louder than the sound of fighting. More and more guards started filing into the room, taking on more and more of the offensive soldiers. However, the enemy seemed very skillful as it managed to keep its numbers high while thinning the crowd of guards and knights.

The man who stood right before Kurt turned around, his eyes barely visible through the small slit in the helmet he had on. "Your majesty?" He asked, pressing slightly against the prince's shoulder to get him moving. His joints ached as he forced his body to snap out of the shock that consumed him and turned to where the direction the guard faced.

Right where the floor became elevated and turned into a stage, a wooden door blended in with the wall. Understanding safety would be waiting there, he tried to hurry towards the door with the other man right behind him. He rushed through the narrow hallway, one hand on the wall to keep himself steady. He was unfamiliar with that corridor, and had absolutely no idea where he would end up the moment he found another door.

He heard some rattling noises behind him and turned to search for their source. He immediately regretted that decision when the sight of two soldiers slicing away at the guard who accompanied him. The man barely managed to keep up with their attacks and block, instead choosing to avoid an attack when he could, and suffer some beating on his armor when he couldn't.

He should have continued going. Kurt should've started running even faster down the hall, to try and put the most distance he could between himself and the pursuers. But he couldn't. He stayed put, resting his weight against one of the walls. Instead of running away, he stared straight at the struggle before him.

When his suffered another attack, the guard let out a loud curse word. "I can't see anything with this!" He grunted, his voice low with irritation. With one tug, the helmet was off the guard's head and thrown at the floor, revealing a head of brown, curly hair.

_'Blaine.'_

It was meant to stay a thought, confined in Kurt's head. He was barely aware that he voiced that thought, it coming out as a small gasp which echoed through the narrow hallway. Blaine turned to him as he heard his voice. In the small moment their eyes had met, he felt as if a wall of emotions collapsed on him. Those hazel orbs held so much within them, so much emotions and thoughts; it practically knocked the air out of his lungs.

The glance didn't last for long; one of the attacking soldiers landed an attack on Blaine, making him wince slightly at the pain before turning around. The prince stayed back, avoiding as much of the fight as he could. He rested his head against his right shoulder, his eyes closed to block the sight in front of him. When two soft thuds sounded, he looked up.

Blaine stood over two bodies, his sword already back in his sheath, and he was staring back towards the brunet. With three big steps, he was standing right before Kurt and looked straight into the other's eyes furiously.

"You should have ran away. You could have died here!" He said, his voice on the verge of a yelling at the end of the second sentence. The knight started taking deep breaths to calm himself, almost hyper-ventilating when Kurt took his sleeve in his hand and held onto it with a death-grip. His look immediately softened. "Let's go" he whispered and they recommenced their escape down the hall.

They continued until another wooden door appeared before him, Kurt's grip never debilitating. Blaine threw the door open, signaling for the prince to step in before following and shutting the door closed. The room turned out to be the royal kitchens, a huge space filled with cabinets, stoves and pantries. It seemed to have been abandoned when the attack started, leaving the room devoid of any living person.

Kurt walked slowly into the room, examining everything around him. He was never allowed to wander around the servants' quarters, nor watch them work. Everything from the kitchens to the storage rooms were forbidden for him, on the ground that 'they aren't places a prince should be at'. The corridor must have been a short-cut to connect between the great hall and the kitchens, to minimize the time it took for food to be brought for guests.

"You need to hide." He turned around at the sound of Blaine's voice, searching for the other's face. The shorter man was still standing next to the door they walked through before, now barricaded with a mount of furniture from around the room.

"We are hiding." Kurt spread his arms, gesturing to the room around him.

Blaine shook his head. "Not good enough. If they manage to infiltrate this place, you'll be in immediate danger. If they do, and you're hidden from their line of sight, I would have the upper hand and be able to defend you better." He explained, his tone leveled, as he circled around the room, looking for hiding spots.

Kurt frowned and started walking in the opposite direction. "They wouldn't find us here. The only ones who saw us leave would come face to face with a locked door." He gestured towards the pile obstructing the entrance to the room. They were already nearing each other at the wall opposite the door they went through.

Silence continued for a moment before each of them stopped, their bodies almost pressed together. For a moment, they just stood there, body warmth and breath mingling with the other's. "Please." Blaine suddenly said, his breath wafting across Kurt's face. "I want you to be safe."

Kurt's mouth fell open in a silent gasp, staring straight into the other's eyes. Those hazel eyes gazed straight into his eyes, staring straight into his soul. He closed and opened his mouth once more, trying to think of any coherent response, before settling on a small nod. With a small grin, the knight turned his face to the side as he searched for a good place to hide Kurt

That's when the prince noticed the long cut which stretched from Blaine's ear, across his cheekbone and stopped right next to his nose. Some lines of dry blood stained his cheek and jaw, two fresh drops still gliding down the smooth surface of his face.

Without saying anything, he reached quickly into the inner pocket at his coat and snatched the white handkerchief he always carried with him. Folding it neatly into a small square, he leaned slightly closer and gently pressed the fabric against the cut. Blaine's face snapped to stare at him, a baffled look adoring his face. "You're hurt" Was the only thing the brunet said before pressing firmer to stop the bleeding, making the other wince at the pain. When Kurt started wiping away the blood, Blaine closed his eyes and frowned with no apparent reason.

Softly placing his palm over Kurt's much softer hand, the knight pulled him away with some reluctance. "You should hide now." He whispered, hand still holding onto the other man as he led him towards a counter in the middle of the room. Understanding the message, he quickly squatted down and sat under the counter in a way which shielded him from sight.

The cold tile beneath him and the small space which constricted him took away all the relief of being with Blaine. Seconds after he sat down, coldness and loneliness took over him. He curled into a tight ball in an attempt to comfort himself, which failed immediately and left his feeling pathetic and weak on the ground. It was even more humiliating, knowing that the knight, who always saw him at his finest and always talked about having courage, was seeing him at the most wretched state he had been in during the last couple of years.

Blaine was leaning against the same counter Kurt hid under, preparing for the worst case he could imagine. As if feeling his distress, a hand unexpectedly dangled innocently next to the brunet. He allowed himself to stare at the hand for a couple of seconds before smiling and accepting the comfort by taking the hand into his. It seemed like such an innocent action, a holding of hands between friends, but it meant so much for Kurt. The fact that the other hand belonged to Blaine made it even more crucial for him.

He didn't know how long they sat together in the kitchens, silently waiting for some sort of news to arrive. Neither of them made a noise. They chose to communicate through their intertwined hands, squeezing to share a feeling of ease and safety. Kurt had become sleepy during the wait and was on the verge of walling asleep when the sound of a door being pushed open reached his ears.

"A knight!" A high voice, definitely feminine, whispered excitedly. "In the kitchens!" She added quickly, a shocked remark.

There were several sounds of shuffling and a clearing of a throat. "What may I do for you, loyal knight?" A different, more authority voice asked. Blaine's hand slipped away from his grip and he had to suppress a whine at the loss.

"Is the great hall clear? Has the castle been cleaned from any enemies?" His tone was formal; similar to how it sounded the first time they met. The brunet was thankful that from that day, it hadn't been directed towards him. The two women must have given him a sign which indicated he was right, because a moment later he was being pulled out of his hiding place.

"Your highness!" The two of them called out when he was standing on his feet, bowing deeply. "The king has been looking everywhere for you!" That comment had caught his attention.

_'My father?'_ He thought. He must have been worried sick, fighting without knowing where Kurt was. The prince immediately started towards the great hall, passing the two women quickly. He was almost running, trying to get to his father the fastest he could. The rattling of an armor told him Blaine was right behind him, protecting him until he was sure the prince was safe.

It was only a matter of minutes before Kurt found himself back in the room where everything began. A pair of strong arms wrapped around his quickly, pulling him flush against a strong chest. Giggling slightly, he patted his father on the back. "I'm fine, father, I'm still in one piece!"

He was sure he heard his father mumble 'thank god' before the older man raised his head to look behind his son. "First you saved my life, and now you saved my son's. There's no way I could thank you enough, corporal." Kurt turned his head, still buried in his father's embrace, knowing his father must've been talking to Blaine.

The knight bowed deeply with a small shake of his head. "There is no need to thank me, your majesty. It is my honor to be of benefit to the royal family." The brunet turned back to his father's chest, trying to hide the smile adorning his face. Ever since he had a decent conversation with Blaine, his formal tone never ceased to amuse him.

In an attempt to distract himself, he rose to his tiptoes to glance behind his father's shoulder. His eyes has been welcomed with pools of blood as red as a rose, the only present reminder of the events of earlier that evening. The bodies had been carried away and disposed of, the blood still waiting to be scrubbed until only the clean floor could be seen.

Noticing his actions, Burt quickly pulled him down to the ground and the grotesque view with his body. "How many have we lost tonight?" Kurt asked softly and received a scowl from his father. He shouldn't be acquiring about the event from before, his father never liked the thought of him being involved with matters of war.

"Less than they did." He answered after a long pause, his tone grim like it should be.

Because after that evening, they were entering a war.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Here's some extra paragraphs, to apologize for the wait (We get to see some things from Blaine's perspective~ :D)<span>**

A soft pressure brought his attention back to the brunet in front of him. A gentle hand tended to the small wound on his cheek while deep glasz eyes bored into his. The sound of his high and musical voice as he talked made every muscle in Blaine's body relax.

The beautiful, amazing man before him reminded him so much of that person. How she would smile gently at him every time he succeeds and makes her proud. The big pair of hazel eyes which were completely identical to his. The mesmerizing sound of her voice as she sang him a lullaby.

_The pure despair in her eyes as the man carried her away. The panic etched on her face right before the door closed and separated them. The sound of her once beautiful voice turn hurtful as she screams and shrieks in pain, calling for help that never came…_

He quickly closed his eyes, scowling at the memory. He thought he had finally managed to suppress those awful nightmares. It seemed like he was wrong. Nevertheless, he wasn't going to let it affect him while he was in the presence of the prince. If he willed to always defend him, and he did, he had to find a way to ignore those painful flashbacks. There were much more pressing issues in hand.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, I have some issues to address. It's going to be a long AN, but please bear with me and read everything!<strong>

**1. Something about this chapter: You might notice some of the other original Glee characters treat Kurt differently than during the show's first season. Reason? You need to remember that Kurt isn't out in this story; only his father and Blaine know about his sexual preferences. To everyone else, like Puck and Finn, he's straight. Also, the small part in the end which is Blaine centric: I had one of those in my mind for a long time now. This chapter seemed like a good time to try and write one.**

**2. Since this chapter has a lot of new attributes to it (new characters, Blaine's perspective, the beginning of plot...), I would really appreciate constructive criticisms. Please try to leave a review with your opinion, questions or suggestions. It would mean so much to me!**

**3. If you're curious, I'll be publishing some of my ideas for soon-to-come fanfics on my profile. If you're interested, check it out!**

**4. I decided to open a tumblr account for this and future fanfics (original, huh?). Now, I'm a tumblr newbie, but I'll make sure to post updates and answers there. My updates aren't really frequent, not as much as I would want them to be, so it'll be a good way to know what's up. The link is in my profile.**

**5. Have anyone noticed something different? I changed my nickname (something I should've done a long time ago). Just so you know, if anyone's wondering (probably not).**

**I don't recall anything else I wanted to say... Just, thank you for reading this! Hopefully, another chapter would be up soon!**


	6. Important Author's note

A/N: Hello, whoever might be reading this! I'm not dead, and neither is this story.

I'm sorry. I should have published a notice months ago. I guess I kept thinking I would come back to it soon, and that I would just explain then. However, seeing how the last chapter was published in October, the problem would probably not fix itself soon.

I will not trouble you with the reasons why this hasn't been updated in a while. There were plenty, each for a different time and month, and it won't change the fact that I waited this long to give you a notice. So, I'm using this opportunity to give you a couple of notices:

1. I'm officially announcing that this story is on hiatus (shocking, I know). I'm not sure when it'll be updated, but it will. I refuse to give up on it, I just need some time. Number 3 will say how you could help me, and I hope you would choose to do so.

2. **This is now rated M**, since the next couple of chapters will include explicit violence and sexual acts will be hinted if not actually written. If you care about whether it'll be explicit or not, I would appreciate it if you told me.

3. I'm at a point in this story where I planned a couple of ways it can evolve in. Meaning, I now have to choose how to continue it. That's why I asked you for your opinion and for a review, so I could know what you liked and according to it choose the next chapter. I also really wanted to know what you thought about the rest of the characters I included in the last chapter, since it was my first time writing any of them. Unfortunately, I didn't get even a single review, which makes me unable to decide how to continue.

It also makes me think like I'm doing something wrong. I really want some criticism, to know what you like and what I should change about my writing. How I can get better. Not getting even a single thought about the chapter, especially after I asked for your opinions, makes me feel really frustrated. I'm not going to _demand_ reviews – I just don't do that. I can't do anything except for ask again.

So, I'm asking again: please tell me what you think so far. It would mean a lot to me; since I want to do everything I can to improve my writing. Also, I need it to decide how I'm going to continue this. At this point, I can't choose between my ideas without some help. I don't care if I sound pathetic; I just really want some feedback.

If you read this, thank you. It means a lot to me, and I hope you understand everything I said and asked. Again, I can't say exactly when the hiatus would be over. Soon, I wish.

I hope everyone had a wonderful time during Christmas and that you're enjoying the New Year. Hopefully, we'll talk again soon enough!


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